"SUSANNA SAYS..."

How we almost lost a plumber--this is a strange title for a story which has to do with transvestism. But you'll agree with me that it makes a good TV true anecdote. As you all know, there was a big get- together for Halloween at our resort. Dr. Pomeroy of the Kinsey Instit· ute was there as well as Dr. Hugo Beigel. Both as our guests for the event. We missed Dr. Benjamin who just could not return from Europe on time to be with us. The presence of his two colleages was indeed a novelty for most of the girls as well for the 9 wives who managed to retain their sanity as well as their sense of humor in the midst of a veritable tornado of skirts and barely covered blue shadows. Wives, I found, are a marvellous ingredient in a TV gathering. We even noticed that some wives were entering into a subconscious contest with other wives.. "my-husband-makes-a-prettier-girl-than-yours" sort of attitude which was most refreshing. There were a couple of wives who told me

off the record (never tell anything off the record to a gossip column- ist! that's the first thing she'll report!) that they were sorry they had- n't been helping their hubbies regarding make up and walking techniques, they realized it was important to prevent their being a bit awkward and looking a bit under par. One of our non- TV guests also told me off the record a most fascinating bit: "Methinks--he said that too many of you people protest too much when the subject of sex is brought up--you are almost desperately trying to prove the world that you are super-he-men. Guilty? I just nodded and promised him I would not repeat what he said. Another remark made by this same guest will per- haps paint a picture for future research into TVism; "These people's main subject of conversation is TVism--he said--and most pecularily, they don't talk about sex at all. To the first part of his remark I managed to point out that after all, most of us do not have any oppor- tunity to talk to ANYBODY about our most cherished dreams and, nat- urally, in a TV gathering, that's the time to let your hair down and talk about TVism to your heart's content. There are not very many TV's who enjoy talking about air speed, shotguns, fishing tackles and other such subjects when someone has just discovered a marvellous store where they sell four inch heels in size 14 shoe! As to his remark about our ignoring sex subjects in our conversation, I wish this would be shoved down the throats of those who are so quick to condemn TVism as a perversion or as Gail (NY) says "an abberation". The nicest re- action--as far as I am concerned came from Gail (Connect.) She said "I'm beginning to see myself in a different light. I find that I am

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